It
by Sayosi
Summary: ShizNat / Natsuki bites off more than she can chew when she asks Shizuru a certain question.


_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Mai HiME.

**It**

At one end of the couch, Natsuki leaned on the armrest, one hand supporting her slightly scowling face while the other tapped—fidgeted, almost—against her knee. Yet, it seemed to be that the movement of her hand did nothing to quell the need that swelled up within her, thus causing her to change her position every minute, on the minute. Three minutes later, she had shifted around enough to have her legs sprawled across the back of the couch with her head hanging off the bottom, the ends of her hair bunching up on the floor. Only now, all ten of her fingers drummed along her thighs.

A cushion's space away, the other occupant of the room paid no mind to the dark-haired woman's apparent restlessness. Leisurely paging through a book, Shizuru was far too engrossed to even comment (read: tease) on Natsuki's "backwards seating." She turned another page and emitted an amused sound without parting her lips, eyes still focused on the piece of literature.

Barely a second later, Natsuki shot up, situating herself so that she was facing Shizuru with her legs crossed, hands on her ankles. Shizuru simply flipped to yet another page, not even batting an eyelash.

"Shizuru..." Natsuki muttered as she slumped forward a notch or two.

Shizuru slipped a finger on the current page to lightly close the book down upon it. She turned with an acknowledging smile, but Natsuki was having a little trouble. The biker took on the resemblance of a fish with her mouth opening and closing in an oddly rhythmical fashion. Fingers twitched at her feet as a hand wandered up to busy itself with a lock of hair.

"Have you ever done _it_?" Natsuki blurted. Shizuru blinked.

"I'm afraid Natsuki will have to define 'it' before I can answer her question." Sensing that this conversation was going to be an intriguing one, Shizuru nestled her bookmark snuggly near the book's spine before setting it aside on the nearby table.

"You know..._it._" Natsuki dropped the strand of hair she was playing with to try to convey her meaning through a series of hesitant and clumsy hand gestures. Biting her tongue, it took all Shizuru had to suppress the laughter that was bubbling up inside of her.

"Natsuki's just making me more confused," Shizuru spoke after gaining enough control to be able to open her mouth without letting anything loose.

She just stared at Shizuru as if she could send the message telepathically. Unfortunately, neither of them had latent psychic powers.

"You know...when you put the...and the... Ah!" Natsuki waved her hands in the air, summoning up the term "jazz hands" in Shizuru's mind. Soon realizing her efforts were fruitless, Natsuki slowly lowered her hands along with her head. For a good ten seconds, she held a look of intense concentration on her face, which gave way to her blossoming blush. She looked up shyly. "I-I... L...lovers do it when...they're, uh..."

If Shizuru bit down any harder on her tongue, she would surely draw blood.

"When they, um...that word. That one word..."

Shizuru couldn't take it anymore. Oh yes, she knew a word, and even if she were wrong, the reaction she would get from Natsuki would be so very worth it.

"For when they're..."

"Horny?" Shizuru quipped, taking great joy in Natsuki's immediate facial explosion, eruption, however one may want to put it.

Natsuki let her face fall into her hands, and tried her damnedest to not scream. Shizuru could be so...so... "GAH!"

_Mission failed._

"Gah?" Shizuru smiled as broad as she could without showing teeth. "Natsuki, that's–"

"I know!" Natsuki cut in, not trusting Shizuru. She fisted the ends of the cushion she sat on and willed herself to look straight at the far too amused woman. With a gulp, she braced herself. "You're right...sort of. I was asking about s...s...sssssssuh..."

While Natsuki could do a fantastic fish rendition, her snake one wasn't her best, so Shizuru decided to step in. "Ara ara, I would have never thought that my little Natsuki would be too embarrassed to say something like 'sex.' "

"Sh-shut up!" Natsuki paused. "So...have you?"

"I don't see why Natsuki would like to know such information."

Natsuki averted her eyes, lips slightly pursed. "I was just curious. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I haven't," Shizuru admitted curtly.

The confession was so sudden that it caught Natsuki off guard more than it normally would have, causing her to blink repeatedly in confusion. "Wh...what?"

"I haven't had sex," the Kyoto woman stated clearly, an amused look floating in her eyes.

"But...I thou-...the...uh...you..." The jumble of incoherencies continued to stumble from Nastuki's tongue as she tried and failed to vocalize her thoughts.

"Natsuki," Shizuru spoke with a stern edge, effectively stopping her love from digging herself an even deeper hole. "Were you under the impression that I had?"

"Well...I...uh..." Natsuki's general awkward feeling shone through once more, oddly causing a pout to pull on the features of the older woman.

"I thought Natsuki knew me better..." The pout, short-lived, melted into a mischievous expression, Shizuru's eyes glinting far too much for Natsuki's comfort. "She should know that I've been reserving myself for a special someone," Shizuru topped off the statement, her voice possessing an edge far more sultry than usual.

A blush rose on Natsuki's cheeks, and it didn't help matters that said mischievous-looking woman started to lean towards her. Thankfully, she froze about midway, now only half of a cushion's distance separating them.

"But what about Natsuki?" Shizuru rolled the syllables off her tongue, taking a tad more care on the name.

"What?" Natsuki blurted as her brow folded ever so slightly in a confused expression. A few seconds of some serious thinking on Natsuki's part and the aid of the widening grin on Shizuru's face later, the younger woman's eyes bulged in realization. Then, upon seeing the other's mouth poised for a restatement, Natsuki hastily half-yelled, "No!"

"Kissing then?" Shizuru inquired with a shift forward.

"Well...yes." The pinkish tint that had dissipated from the dark-haired woman's cheeks barely moments ago returned with full force.

"Ah, but what about like this...?" Shizuru moved with such speed and efficiency that Natsuki didn't even have time to jerk back in surprise before her lips were claimed. The other's mouth already parted, Shizuru was able to begin her "demonstration" with no wasted effort. Before Natsuki could come across the decision of if she wanted to respond or struggle, Shizuru had already retreated, but not too far.

"Ah–" Cut off by lips before she could even form a word, Natsuki began to grow a tad agitated. Yet, this time she only received a peck, Shizuru's lips soon venturing off onto her cheek.

"Then what about touching?" Shizuru breathed as her hand slid over the upper part of Natsuki's thigh.

A little distracted, Natsuki felt dazed enough to not register exactly what the adventurous hand was doing. But when said appendage started to sneak under the hem of her shirt, she snapped back to reality quite quickly.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Natsuki's hands swatted at the foreign one, eventually forcing it out. "That does not belong in there!"

"Mou, but I was just trying to see how far Natsuki has gone." The pout came back for another round, but this time it was immediately met with the death glare of doom—a worthy adversary.

"You know exactly how far I've gone."

"Ara, what does Natsuki mean by that?"

She caught the peeved look that began to grow on Natsuki's face. So, keen on the Kuga mentality, Shizuru tackled the younger woman to the couch before she could initiate her flight response. Natsuki's arms, after their moment of flailing, found themselves flopped over Shizuru's back. Once the reality of their position sunk in, her fingernails snagged briefly in the fabric of Shizuru's shirt before she was able to defiantly cross her arms over her chest.

The thing that bugged her the most was that Shizuru's smile didn't falter in the least at her defensive maneuver. In fact, she swore it grew. Her eyes too concentrated on those lips, Natsuki didn't notice how close they had gotten until they brushed away from contact at the last second to veer off. She started to turn her head to follow, but stopped at the gentle nip of teeth to her sensitive neck.

With a yelp, Natsuki's arms flew outwards, her hands landing on Shizuru's shoulders, but no force was applied. Shizuru took the chance to lower herself close enough to the younger woman so that she couldn't put her arms back unless she wanted to take part in some serious groping.

"What do you want?" Natsuki's tone held a hint of exasperation.

Shizuru's lips remained motionless, hovering over Natsuki's own. The gentle, on and off flow of breath across her lower and apparently more sensitive face compelled Natsuki to shift a little closer, tilting her chin up just enough to press their lips together. Her arms, back to their previous position across Shizuru's back, compressed down as she arched up. Complying, Shizuru relaxed down into the other and deepened the kiss with ease. It was slow and gentle, and Shizuru couldn't help but melt in the other's arms.

In time, they pulled back, breathing shaky but not laborious.

"Isn't this what you want?" Natsuki questioned in one extended exhale, her finger finding and twirling around a tawny lock.

"Yes, it is," Shizuru murmured with a wry grin. "But, you see, I am a very greedy person, and I can never stay satisfied for long."

Shizuru shifted her arms to Natsuki's sides, palms against he couch, and tried to push away but with little success. Natsuki's hold tightened, forcing Shizuru to give up, though the older woman wasn't entirely against it. Before she could settle back into Natsuki comfortably, she felt the faintest brush of lips across her ear.

"Soon," Natsuki whispered, her lips still so close to Shizuru's ear.

Shizuru shivered.

"Natsuki is so good to me," she mumbled, nuzzling into Natsuki's neck.

But Shizuru couldn't leave at this, could she? Of course not.

She parted her lips, pressing them to Natsuki's vulnerable skin, and began her positively devious plan. Natsuki, after a good few baffled seconds, realized that Shizuru wasn't just cuddling anymore. With a yelp of surprise, Natsuki flung Shizuru off of her and onto the ground.

"What was that?!" Natsuki almost shrieked, cradling her neck in her hands.

Shizuru, however, was doubled over on the floor, too distracted trying to hold in her laughter to answer.

Natsuki bounded over the quivering Shizuru and raced off to the bathroom for an examination. She peered into the mirror, twisting her neck so that she could see the rather red mark that now adored her previously unblemished skin.

"It's a hickey, Natsuki," Shizuru called from the other room, amusement lilting in her voice.

Natsuki narrowed her eyes, gingerly rubbing her fingertips over the mark. She had heard of hickeys before, usually from girls squealing over getting one from their boyfriends. Never had she understood the big deal, nor had she seen one. It looked like a rash, perhaps a bruise.

Eyes and mind far too focused on the blotch, she failed to notice the nearing presence until she felt pressure across her abdomen and along the entire length of her back. Soft lips brushed the skin near the base of her neck, mouthing the one syllable word that she failed to discern as "mine." Knowing that it would be futile to attempt an escape, Natsuki sighed lightly and sank back into the embrace.

"Is it permanent?" Natsuki mumbled, a frown tweaking her lips.

"It will fade eventually, but then I will give you a new one in a more _discreet _location." Shizuru's fingers slipped under Natsuki's shirt, one of her arms giving a valiant try at venturing up said clothing.

"Would you stop it with the wandering hands?" Natsuki groaned in mild irritation as she fended off the frisky limb.

"But Natsuki is so irresistible," she cooed, half-heartedly fighting against Natsuki's hands.

"Well, at least _try_ to resist. It doesn't seem like you're putting forth much effort here." With the last word, Natsuki successfully pushed the arm out and away, glaring at the owner's reflection in the mirror. "And don't you dare say that your hands have a mind of their own."

"Then I guess I have no choice," Shizuru lamented as she pulled away and made her exit.

The sudden absence of warmth sparked a small feeling of longing within Natsuki. She tried to shake if off.

Really, she didn't think she was ready to make that next, giant step. She needed more time—a few more days...weeks...months. A scream welled up in her throat, but she suppressed it and mauled her hair with her hands instead.

Sometimes Shizuru came off as too aggressive, pushing her more than she felt she should be. No, she didn't deny her physical desire for the honey-haired woman; she just hadn't fully caved into it yet. She wanted to, she really did, but fear always struck her before they could get too far. Why? She didn't know.

On occasion she'd caught sob stories of girls who'd rounded home with their boyfriends only to have their "soul mates" leave them once the boys had their fill. She shook her head. The whole notion was ridiculous. Many times she had seen Shizuru's look of uninhibited joy after a simple kiss.

She smiled.

"Na-tsu-ki!" Shizuru singsong-ed with a frolicsome tint to her voice.

"Hmm?" Natsuki poked her head out of the bathroom.

Shizuru sauntered into Natsuki's line of sight, holding an oddly serious expression on her face. Why oddly? Well, it was due to the fact that a bra—very lacy and far too sexy—was the only thing covering any part of her upper body, and Natsuki would usually associate a grin with such an act.

"Do you think–?"

Natsuki slammed the bathroom door shut with inhuman speed, effectively silencing the other woman. She pressed her back up against the still vibrating wood and tried to calm down her rapid breathing and racing heart. A wave of heat surged through her body as an image of what she just saw flashed in her mind's eye.

Maybe this was going to be harder than she thought.

--.--

**A/N:** FLUFF!!

–cough–

I actually had this thing all planned out, but I let the outline rot on my computer for a good few months –_coughhalfayearcough_–because I am a lazy ass. No yay.

Crap I couldn't fit in...not really:

"I do have fantasies, though. Very, _very_ wonderful fantasies."

"ARG! Don't tell me these things!"

"Then, shall I show you?"

"N-no! Shizuru! Stop! H-hey–! Mgmph."

**FAIL**

Just...don't ask. If you feel unsatisfied (as this could have been a rather good lead up to teh smexorz if played right), go read a lemon or something.

Thanks to Naolin for beta-ing! She caught me in my error-ly ways.


End file.
